Santa Clara County Biographies
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
J. G. McMILLAN
J. G. McMillan, civil engineer, residence Mayfield, is a native of
Rhode Island, born at Bristol, July 11, 1851, his parents being W. W. and Sarah
(McCaughey) McMillan. His father, who was a native of Scotland, emigrated to
America, and in 1852 came to California by the Isthmus of Panama. He engaged in
the mines of Butte County, and in 1856, having decided to locate permanently in
the State, his family came out by the Isthmus route, and joined him in Butte
County. J. G. McMillan spent his boyhood days in Butte County, and received his
education there and at San Jose. At the age of sixteen years he commenced
teaching school, improving his time during the summer by studying civil
engineering. He was made County Surveyor of Sutter County in 1877, and held the
office continuously until 1882. In the latter year his services were engaged by
the Central Pacific Railroad Company, on locating work. In 1884 he went to
Central America in the capacity of civil engineer on the construction of the
Guatemala Central Railroad, which engaged his attention for about a year.
Returning to California, he spent the following year in Fresno County, laying
out and superintending the construction of large canals for mining purposes. In
1886 he came to Mayfield to take charge of the engineering work connected with
the building and grounds of the great Leland Stanford, Jr., University. This
now employs a great portion of his time, though he does a large amount of
surveying and other engineering work for outside parties.
He was married in this county, in 1887, to Miss Lizzie D. Weisshaar,
a native of San Francisco, and daughter of the Postmaster of Mayfield. Mr.
McMillan is a member of the I. O. O. F. and F. A. M. In politics he is a
Republican.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California,
Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company,
1888.
Pg. 348-349
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
Proofread by Betty Vickroy